So why no fried vegetables on A Veggie Venture? Well, it's a healthy-eating thing. Because we all know that fried food is bad, right? Right?

Well maybe it is, maybe it isn't. These Fried Zucchini Sticks were fried in a skillet that started with 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) of vegetable oil. When they were done, 5-1/3 tablespoons (1/3c) of vegetable oil was still in the pan. That means that exactly 2-2/3 tablespoons of oil were used to fry the zucchini sticks.

Now granted, 2-2/3 tablespoons of oil is considerably more than the 1 tablespoon of oil I typically allow for a pound of vegetables. But it's also considerably less than the 1/4 cup of oil I often see used in vegetable recipes in magazines and cookbooks.

That said, I really did want to see how Fried Zucchini Sticks and Baked Zucchini Sticks compared, taste-wise, goodness-wise. The verdict? The Fried Zucchini Sticks were better than the Baked Zucchini Sticks – but not by much. If the Fried Zucchini Sticks warranted an A+ (and they did, oh they so did!) then the Baked Zucchini Sticks earned a solid B+ or even an A-. But if I'd tasted only the Baked Zucchini Sticks? I'd have loved them.

So you decide. Fried Zucchini Sticks or Baked Zucchini Sticks. The choice, always, is yours. If you hate vegetables and the fried version can be your gateway technique? Go for it!

CUT Wash the zucchini well, trim off the stem and flower ends. Lengthwise, cut the zucchini into thirds, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. With the cut-side down, cut each piece into four equal-width pieces.

ASSEMBLY LINE Build an assembly line with three shallow plates. With a fork, whisk the flour, salt and pepper together in Plate One; whisk the eggs well in Plate Two; pour the panko onto Plate Three. Place a baking sheet on the side.

DIP One by one, dip each zucchini stick first into Plate One, dredging (that means "covering with flour") on all sides; then into the egg in Plate Two; then into the panko in Plate Three. With each dip, try to cover the entire piece. It's a sticky-messy job, you won't be able to do anything else without washing your hands.

TO FRY In a large skillet, heat about 1/2 cup vegetable oil on MEDIUM HEAT until the oil sizzles when you flick a little water on your fingertips into the skillet. With tongs, gently drop about half the zucchini sticks into the hot oil (they too should sizzle a bit), just enough to cook without crowding. Cook until golden on all three sides, turning twice with the tongs. Place hot zucchini sticks on a plate covered with a paper towel and place in the 150F oven to keep warm while cooking the rest of the zucchini sticks.

TO BAKE Arrange zucchini sticks on a baking sheet without crowding and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden.

TO SERVE Serve piping hot with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES Use vegetable oil or peanut oil (not olive oil) for frying, olive oil has what's called a "low smoke point" - that means it has a tendency to burn at high temperatures. If you have trouble getting the flour to coat, try patting the zucchini pieces dry with a paper towel first.

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION Adapted from Zucchini Fries from my friend Helen who blogs at The Ardent Cook. Helen and I have similar cooking styles, I could cook nearly all the recipes she posts. OH – and what a baker she is, in fact, she's got a new cookbook coming out later this year, I'll be telling you more about it later but in the mean time, get yourself ready for European Tarts – Divinely Doable Desserts with Little or No Baking, recipes developed over Helen's many years as the owner of a high-end bakery here in St. Louis.

NUTRITION NOTE I have adjusted the Nutrition Information to reflect that (for the Fried Zucchini Sticks) not all the oil is used and (for both versions) not all the flour and panko are consumed. Yes, I do measure this stuff! After dredging, I calculated using just 3-2/3 tablespoons of flour and 11 tablespoons of panko. As always, there's variation in how things work from one time to another but it's my best estimate of reality.

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5
comments:

You know, you make the idea of frying seem not quite as scary as I think it would be. (I always tell me kids I'll never do a recipe that calls for some amount of 'cup' of oil, other than cake). But if the taste is nearly as good, I could be persuaded to turn on the oven when the zucchini overwhelms my garden.Or, I could just enjoy the mixed veggie side at Ray's in Reading, Michigan. They have fried zucchini, fried mushrooms, fried cauliflower . . . . Thanks!

Nice experiment! And one I've always been meaning to try, but haven't. It's been quite some time since I've fried vegetables (other than potatoes for French fries) - I almost always roast (bake) now. Preparing them in the oven is easier - no need to stand over the stove as I fry. Anyway, great post - thanks so much for doing this.

This is a good one, baked or fried! You can use one hand for the dry (flour and panko) and the other for the egg. That way you just have one hand that's sticky. :) A good one to replace French fries. Thanks!

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